When Russell Westbrook announced his retirement in August, it caught much of the NBA off guard. It ended an 18-year career full of unforgettable moments, like the 36-foot buzzer-beater in Denver in 2017 that gave him his 42nd triple-double of the season and broke Oscar Robertson’s single-season record. Now, the Thunder are making sure that legacy lasts forever, and no one is prouder than his wife, Nina.
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The Thunder announced Monday that they’ll retire Westbrook’s No. 0 jersey on Feb. 7, 2027, when they host the Knicks. General manager Sam Presti made the announcement at the team’s Day One Luncheon with Westbrook on stage, and Westbrook wiped away tears as he heard the news. The team then shared a video montage celebrating his time in Oklahoma City.
“Zero my hero ❤️,” Nina said in the comments section of the Thunder’s official Instagram announcement post. Russ will be just the second player in Thunder history to have their jersey retired, following Nick Collison, whose number 4 was retired in 2019.
Westbrook’s career with the Thunder spanned an incredible 11 seasons, starting in 2008 and ending in 2019. During that time, ‘Brodie’ averaged 23.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.4 assists. He won the 2017 MVP, made eight All-Star teams and eight All-NBA teams with the Thunder, and left as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 18,859 points.
Nina wasn’t the only one celebrating. Carmelo Anthony, who played alongside Westbrook in Oklahoma City in 2017-18, commented, “Deserved 🙏🏾.” Peyton Watson, his former teammate in Denver, added, “Deserve it!!” Draymond Green also reposted the news on his Instagram story with a string of fire emojis: “🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥.”
While speaking to the media, Westbrook himself was able to share how he felt about the jersey retirement.
“It’s amazing; it’s a true blessing,” he said. “Quite frankly, it’s not just for me, my family — my kids, wife, my mom, my brother-in-law, the entire city.”
“Being able to grow up not even imagining you’d be able to be a professional athlete, needless to say, be in the NBA. But to be able to get your jersey retired, it creates a legacy; it creates a sense of all the work, time, effort, and energy you put into the game. I’m just truly grateful for that honor. I look forward to that night.”
While highlighting what the moment means to him, Westbrook didn’t forget to mention his family. However, Nina has been nothing but her husband’s number 1 supporter over the years, and she never shied away from defending him publicly.
In March 2021, during his season with the Wizards, Westbrook put up 35 points, 14 rebounds and 21 assists against Indiana, becoming the first player in NBA history with a 35-point, 20-assist triple-double. He went on to finish that season with 38 triple-doubles. But Stephen A. Smith said the numbers meant nothing to him because Westbrook didn’t have a championship. Nina fired back on Instagram.
“I don’t know how many times I have to be minding my own business and randomly be subjected to you slandering my husband (who also happens to be minding his own business, being happy and living his best life). Leave us alone already,” Nina said.
Throughout his time with the Thunder, Russell Westbrook became more than just another player. He was the team’s identity and a legacy. Now, the Thunder have repaid him by hanging his iconic number 0 jersey in the rafters forever.